Whatever happened to Eduardo
by cgaussie
Summary: Foster’s Home holds one dark secret that only opens on Halloween.


Whatever happened to Eduardo?

Written By: CG  
Written: Started 31st October 2006  
Fandom: Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends

Genre: General/Mild Horror.  
Rating: K+ for mild horror themes.  
Pairings: None.  
Warnings: None.

Plot: Foster's Home holds one dark secret that only opens on Halloween.  
Spoilers: None.  
Story Notes: Now I have no idea how Eduardo was created, by who, or anything like that. This is simply for story purposes. But do try and enjoy either way.

**Chapter 1**

The autumn leaves were building up, covering the yard of the aging Victoria Mansion like a brand new carpet freshly laid out by interior designers. Every now and then a gust of wind would come rushing up, capture a few leaves and send them dancing through the air before settling again for some rest. When the wind did come, it was sharp and cold, enhanced by the dark clouds hanging in the sky high above the world.

You couldn't ask for better Halloween weather if you tried.

"Man this is gonna be so GREAT!" Bloo exclaimed for the hundredth time that day. "But you know what'd make it greater?" he asked his audience of two. 

"What's that Bloo?" Wilt asked, who was decked out in a black tuxedo with very impressive tails on it. His face and lone hand was painted white too, and for a rare occasion he was wearing black shiny 'dance' shoes. Accompanying him was Coco, who had somehow managed to get ripped stockings over her legs, a denim jacket covered in buttons and stitches over her 'arms', and each leaf was dyed a different colour.

"If this toilet paper didn't RIP so easily!!" the small blue imaginary friend growled viciously. Same as last year, and the year before that, and the year before that, Bloo had left it until the last minute to make himself a Halloween Costume. Now, it was Halloween afternoon and Bloo found himself scavenging through the house in hopes of finding something suitable for the holiday.

At first he thought he'd go as a swamp monster, but Frankie hadn't been so keen on him rolling in mud then walking through the house, leaving a trail of mud and slime in his wake. Another attempt had been a wolf man, but Mr. Herriman refused to grant him access to the 'Fur' room where the imaginary fleas lived. Also Eduardo had bulked when he saw Bloo with a razor in his hand. Then he thought maybe a ghost would work, but this time Wilt had voiced a little concern at Bloo taking a pair of scissors to one of the curtains in the house. Now, he was trying for a mummy appearance. Sadly, the toilet paper he had stolen from one of the upstairs bathrooms wasn't proving as binding as he'd hope.

"Hmm, maybe I should try some three ply..." Bloo mumbled as he observed the rolling paper, which happened to have a floral pattern.

Wilt rolled his eye for a moment as Coco's eyes just rolled in all directions.

"You know Bloo, hate to say it, but if you had planned this a little better maybe you'd already have your costume planned?" Wilt offered some constructive criticism, careful of his words around his short blue companion. ('short' being a lame term since to Wilt, everyone was short).

"Hub bub bub." Bloo held his hand up to silence Wilt, who was already quiet. "This is the way I've been doing things for YEARS Wilt, I think I know a little more about costume development then you give me credit for, Mr. Tall red and Lanky."

"Lanky?" Wilt echoed.

"Coco, cocococo cococo co cococo coco cooo cocococo co co coco co?" Coco suddenly asked, driving the conversation in another direction completely.

"Oh it's easy; Mac just does it for fun. Besides, his neighbours know to give him apples 'n sugar free candy." Bloo replied as another piece of toilet paper tore along its dotted line. "Darn it!" he ripped the piece to shreds, glaring at the tiny pieces as they flittered to the floor.

"...you could just paint yourself white." Wilt offered. "If that's okay."

"Wilt! Wilt!" Frankie's frantic calls could be heard gathering speed from down the hall way, causing all three to turn and look at her. Two with more concern then the third. "Oh thank Goodness..." she came to a stop, wiping her brow. Frankie, this year, had dressed up as Frankenstein's wife. Her face was painting pale green as were her hands. Bandages covered her arms and a long white gown from head to foot. Her hair was also dyed black with a hair sprayed white streak going down both sides.

"What is-" Wilt started, but stopped himself.

Bloo looked up at the two, who were exchanging very peculiar looks.

"You almost forgot your..." Frankie started, but stopped when she saw Bloo looking up at the two with a very confused, but all the more curious look on his face. "...trick or treat bag! Yeah! C'mon, let's go get it." with that she grabbed his wrist and led him off quickly.

"What the heck?" Bloo asked Coco, who looked as innocent as she could. Which fuelled Bloo's curiosity like throwing inflammable liquid onto a fire. But before he could even ask, the denim clad Coco had already fled the scene, leaving a Coco shaped cloud in her wake. Bloo remains there by himself for a few seconds before he grins widely, and hurries off down the hallway in the same direction that Wilt and Frankie vanished.

To say the house looked perfect would be an underwriting. The spider friends had spent the better half of two days spinning webs all throughout the house, inside and out, giving it a spooky feel. Black and orange curtains hung from almost every visible window that could be seen from the street out front, and many many pumpkins had been carved and set around the house. Beneath window sills, on the roof, along the path that lead to the house, beneath the sign... the spiders even had strung webs along the iron gates, and thanks to some smart thinking, even the gates looked rusted and old. It was quite a sight to behold to anyone on the street. Everyone felt it was the best house on the street.

Well, almost everyone.

One had to wonder where Eduardo had taken himself. The large imaginary had all but vanished from sight a good day before, but strangely enough not many of them had picked up on his disappearance. Especially not Bloo, who was so self absorbed it'd take a first class telescope to see people beyond himself. 

Halloween was always a mixed bag of emotions for Eduardo. While it gave the house something fun to celebrate a month before Thanksgiving, and it brought a lot of children to the house for trick or treating, it was the whole . . . ghosts, zombies, monsters, and every other horrible creation you could think of 'walking the earth' that got him so unsettled. Terrified is the better word for it. Even if he knew it was only children, or his friends behind the masks and makeup it still caused him such high amounts of terror he sometimes lost control of himself.

In more ways then one.

He was now in his room, curled up beneath his blanket in his bed with his eyes tightly shut. Every Halloween began like this, Eduardo huddled in his room trying to block out the knowledge of all the scary things that were possibly happening just outside his door. But it rarely worked. Every sound seemed to be enhanced, the footfalls down the hallways, the wind outside, even his breathing almost became unbearable to hear.

Then he heard it.

Footsteps, coming down the hallway. They were heavy, and sounded like the person who was attached to those feet had a mission to complete.

The doorknob began to squeak, and Eduardo could practically see it beginning to turn. The eventual 'click' that filled the room caused him to pull the blanket even tighter around himself so much so that his tail began poking out from beneath it.

Wilt entered the room, slowly, checking for Eduardo. Spotting him hiding beneath the blanket he sighed a bit in relief. He walked into the room, keeping the door open to allow some more light (then Eduardo's night light) fill the room.

"Hey Ed?" he asked, his voice soft and steady so not to alarm his friend.

He got a quivering body mass as his answer.

"Listen, Ed. We gotta get you to… well, you know." Wilt started, but didn't need to finish the sentence. Every year since Eduardo first arrived in the house, every Halloween like clockwork he had to be transported to a room in the basement. It was a little difficult to explain why. Let's just say the first Halloween Eduardo spent in Foster's still hasn't been forgotten.

"I no want to go." Eduardo's muffled voice answered.

"I know, but I'm sorry Ed but you gotta go in there." he took a few steps and was soon by the bed. "Come on..." Wilt hated doing this. Having to make Eduardo do something he clearly didn't want to do was painful for the imaginary to do. But he knew it was for the best, for everyone.

Eduardo wanted to put up more of a verbal fight against this, but he knew it was inevitable. No way in avoiding it, much like flu shots that happened every spring. Sighing sadly he rose up from the bed, keeping the blanket securely wrapped around him. "...mi security blanket." Eduardo informed Wilt from behind the material. Wilt had to smile a bit, but nodded and waited until Eduardo had climbed off the bed; offer him his hand before leading him off through the house.

Mac was growing all the more annoyed with Bloo with every passing minute. He'd just arrived, like he said he would, and Bloo was a no show. When he'd asked various friend in the house they all shrugged, some mentioning just what he'd unleashed upon the house that day. Mac apologised a few times for the mud, the clothes, the holes in sheets, but eventually he found Frankie in the bathroom. She was doing the messy task of putting her hair up. There was a lot of pins and hairspray involved.

"Frankie!" 

"Hey Mac, cool costume!" Frankie exclaimed. Mac was in a cowboy costume, but his skin had been painted green with multiple scars on his face and hands. Even one of those fake arrows through the cowboy hat tricks. Zombie cowboy. Inventive to say the least.

"Thanks, listen, where's Bloo? We were meant to leave for trick or treating ten minutes ago." he looked at his watch. As much as Mac couldn't eat half or more of the candy he collected, he still enjoyed going out and spending time with his friends. Since this year Wilt, Coco and Eduardo (or so he thought) was going to accompany him and Bloo.

"Sorry Mac, I haven't seen him since I saw him with Wilt and Coco." she replied as she finished adjusting her hair so it sat just right. 

"So where are Coco, Wilt and Eduardo? They were meant to come too." Mac glanced into the hallway, to see Ringo Rango dressed as Jack the Ripper walk past.

Frankie froze for a moment.

"What?" Mac asked, catching it.

"Oh um... look Mac," Frankie knelt down. "Eduardo... can't come trick or treating with you guys."

"Why not? He can't be that scared." man, Mac felt a little stupid after he said that. Eduardo was scared of his own shadow, and spiders the size of a penny. Of course he'd be terrified of Halloween.

"It's not that, Mac. Listen. There's something you gotta understand about Ed." Frankie said, her voice quite low now. "See, I kind of remember. It happened the first year Eduardo came to live with us. He'd arrived with all these other Imaginaries, his... 'family', I guess."

"I didn't know Eduardo had family." Mac said, surprised by this piece of information.

"Well he does. Kind of. Imaginaries created by the same person, but the rest were... well. They're too scary and dangerous to be living outside. They're a kind of extreme-o-saur. But anyway - I don't know why, but every year around Halloween Eduardo... kind of changes." Frankie was trying to be mindful of what words she used. Too much and it'd seem too scary.

"...changes how?" Mac asked, his voice slightly lower then normal.

"It's a blur, really." Frankie shut one eye in thought for a moment. "He just. Becomes so scared that he becomes bad so he won't be scared. And when I say bad, I mean 'bad'." To be honest Frankie hardly remembered the day it happened. What she could was the roars, the yells and screams, and the mess that followed afterwards. She was honest she couldn't remember it. "So every year at Halloween we have to go put Eduardo somewhere safe and secure so he won't get out and hurt himself. Or someone else."

"Whoa." Mac was way surprised to hear all this. "So how long does he stay locked away?"

"By tomorrow this time he's fine. He doesn't like it, of course, but it has to happen." Frankie stood up, dusting her white gown of any dust that might have clung to it as a result of her kneeling.

"...wait..." Mac started quietly.

"What?"

"...Bloo." he said the one word and both of them understood at the same time. When it came to Bloo and locked doors, or anything that might hold ANY secret behind it, lead to trouble. Both looked at the other with wide, terrified eyes, before both running off in different directions calling out Bloo's name.

It always felt strange having to do that job, but Wilt was the only one who could actually manage to get Eduardo into that room without much hassle. Mostly because Eduardo had so much trust and respect for him did it work. Frankie tried one year but Eduardo ended up running off in tears, claiming she didn't like him no more so that was why she was trying to get rid of him. It had been an unhappy feeling all around. But now Eduardo was in his 'secure' room, still hiding beneath his blanket and hopefully things will pass without too much strife this year. At least he hoped that's what was going to happen.

Unbeknownst to Wilt, something short and blue had followed him and Eduardo through the house, ducking behind corners and treading extra gently so not to be heard. Bloo watched as Wilt and Eduardo vanished into a room he hadn't seen before. A few moments later Wilt re-emerged by himself and locked the door behind him. Then he placed the key on the door's top frame and walked off. As soon as the hallway was clear, Bloo walked up to the door and stared up at it. It was massive, and made of metal obviously. He reached out and tapped the surface, feeling just how cold it was. Then he stepped back and narrowed an eye in thought at the key that he knew was up there. He didn't know why Eduardo was being locked away, but man! He wanted to find out! Secrets behind doors just weren't safe with Bloo around.

But how to get to it? He wasn't tall enough, and he knew asking Wilt would get him no where since he didn't want anyone knowing. So what could he do... a-hah! The broom! Bloo looked back and forth before rushing off down the hall way. He knew where the broom was kept, he'll take that and if he's asked why he'll say he's helping a friend who needs a broom to dress as a witch. Perfect!

Having found the broom Bloo rushed on back up the stairs, dragging it behind him and tripping up a few unfortunate friends in his path. But finally he reached the door, his heart beating wildly in his chest. He lifted the broom and began moving it against the door.

Within the room Eduardo was huddled in the corner, eyes wide. Even though technically he couldn't hear anything horrible, he swore he could. And practically see them. He saw the spiders climbing down from the ceilings, encasing him in their webs in order to eat him. He could most definitely see the witches and hear them singing gleefully about cooking him in their pot and using his fur as a nice coat. He could hear the shrieks and howls of spirits, cursed to wander the planet for all time. It was all getting louder and louder, but then he heard it.

Something was trying to get in through the door. His head jerked up as his wide eyes watched the door, in what little light he had. This room was unfortunate enough to be blessed with one light that hung in the ceiling, and unfortunately even more so the bulb was almost dead and gave off enough light to make Eduardo aware of the shadows and just what could be lurking in them.

The noise was awful. Something heavy and blunt dragging itself along the door outside. But then it stopped, and for a few fleeting seconds Eduardo could relax. But then another noise had replaced it. Something with bristles, something big, was not at the door. After a few moments of this noise, something hit the floor. But then, much much worse . . . the key was in the door.

"Bloo? I don't know, haven't seen him since you reminded me of my.. uh, 'job', Frankie." Wilt had been caught up by Frankie, who was looking more frazzled then before. Which was impressive given her costume. Mac was also with her again, heaving and wheezing.

"M-man how c-can it be so hard t-to find that little loudmouth w-when you need him?" Frankie wheezed, annoyed.

It was then the house was rocked to it's foundations by the kind of roar you only hear in the movies in surround sound. It sounded angry, it sounded violated, it sounded like-

"Eduardo!" all three cried at once.

"Bloo!" Mac added as a split second after thought.

Of all the things to expect, this wasn't it at all.

Bloo had tried getting the key down with the wooden end of the broom at first, but when that failed he used the other end. This way was a bit difficult, what with the thick bristles now being at the top of the long pole. But finally he moved it to where the key was, and the key fell.

Unlocking the door was no problem. It was opening it that was difficult, it was heavier then it looked and that's saying something of a metal door. But finally he pushed it open enough to look inside.

Eduardo felt this room was his safe haven. Wilt had assured him time and time again, year after year, that this was his safe room. No one could get into this room. You shouldn't be scared of anything in this room. No one can hurt you.

But he had been wrong. After so many years, something horrible had worked out how to get inside.

Something had worked out how to get inside HIS safe room.

As soon as the door was wide enough Eduardo threw the blanket off of himself, leapt and landed right in front of whatever it was (he was so terrified that he was literally blind to what was really there), and bared his massive teeth which suddenly seemed far more threatening then normal. His purple fur which was normally so soft, and gentle to the touch had risen with such ferocity you'd think he had doubled in size. His eyes too, seemed to had been removed of any worry lines that normally were there. His pupils were large, dilated, angry but terrified in the same instance.

Wow. Eduardo's teeth are huge.

That was the last thing Bloo thought until Eduardo unleashed a savage roar of epic proportions right into his face.

Then everything went black.

. . .

**To be continued.**


End file.
